This invention pertains to electrical connectors and, in particular, a connector having new and improved contacts which provide for a low profile housing which provides for an adaptor of a high density connector to a low density connector.
Electrical adaptors for allowing an electrical connector of a low density orientation connect to an electrical connector of high density orientation are increasingly demanded by industry. As miniaturization of components forces electrical connections to become more densely spaced, high density electrical connectors are frequently required. However, the high density connector in many cases must mate with connectors having different spacing. For example, SMALL COMPUTER STANDARD INTERFACE (SCSI) has increased its density as the standard has progressed. SCSI I requires a 50-position connector having 100 inch spacing and SCSI II requires a 68-position connector having 0.050 inch spacing. In order to mate a SCSI I with SCSI II component, an adaptor is required which is small and is easily manufactured.
Many adaptors also require advanced circuitry and include circuit carrying substrates to carry active devices and interconnect the high and low profile connectors. It has been known in the art to connect a contact to a circuit carrying substrate via press-fit mounting. This is accomplished by the pins of the contact being inserted into plated-through holes which tightly hold the pins. It is also known in the art to mount a connector to a circuit carrying substrate via surface mount. This is accomplished by the tails of the contact being shaped to be parallel to the surface of the circuit carrying substrate and being soldered to pads on the surface of the substrate. However, in general, electrical adaptors have been attached to circuit carrying substrates by soldering the contacts of the connectors to the sides of the circuit carrying substrate. This is a time-consuming and expensive process to solder each individual contact to the edge of the circuit carrying substrate. As well, this requires that the circuit carrying substrate be parallel to the connectors, standing upright having the width of the board separating the two connectors and increasing the profile or height of the overall adaptor. As the width of a circuit carrying substrate is substantial in that it must carry all of the traces of the connector in addition to any active or passive devices such as integrated circuits or resistors or capacitors printed or not printed, this would increase the profile of the connector making it disadvantageous.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a low profile adaptor which limits the height of the adaptor.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adaptor which is easily and inexpensively manufactured.